500 kilometers west of Beijing, enjoy a weekend leisure tour of an ancient castle feast!

Located in the western part of Yu County, Hebei Province, there is a place called Nuanquan Ancient Town, which was recorded in the 'Yu State Annals - Canal Map': 'Thirty miles west of the city, in the Nuanquan Fortress, the spring's source is divided by a stone urn to flow east and west,' which is the origin of the name 'Nuanquan'. As a famous historical and cultural town in China, Nuanquan Ancient Town gathers four major elements: ancient residences, ancient temples, ancient castles, and ancient opera stages. Commercialization is not severe, and it still retains the original flavor and a strong sense of life. More importantly, it is only a little over 3 hours' drive from Beijing's urban area, making it really suitable for a weekend or a short holiday leisure trip! The scale of Nuanquan Ancient Town is not small, and there are many residential houses. Aimlessly wandering might lead you to see nothing but 'ruined houses' and miss some of the most essential attractions. The original ecological ancient castle that can be reached in just over three hours has a gentle name called . Slow down and experience the slow life of an ancient town from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nuanquan Ancient Town is located in Yu County, Hebei, named after a spring that maintains a constant temperature throughout the seasons. The town was built during the Yuan dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties, consisting of three fortresses, six alleys, and eighteen villages, and is the birthplace of 'Dashuhua'. The existing West Ancient Fortress, North Official Fortress, and Central Small Fortress have preserved the charm of the Ming and Qing dynasties. From north to south, the three ancient fortresses (read as 'bu') of the ancient town, passing through the city towers, ancient houses, Taoist temples, and walking on the stone-paved paths full of life, it's like traveling through the ancient streets of the Ming and Qing dynasties... The North Official Fortress is the largest of the three fortresses, with streets in a 'main' character structure, and the tall fortress gate tower is the dot of the character. The Lu Family Small Fortress on the north slope inside the fortress and the North Official Fortress form a 'fortress within a fortress' feature, and the underground ancient fortress nearby adds a touch of mystery. Huayan Temple | Huayan Temple was built in the Ming dynasty, with the existing Shuilu Hall and Mahavira Hall, preserving Shuilu paintings. Buddha Mirror | Historically, it was said that 'in front of the big temple is Buddha's mirror, and behind the big temple is a vegetable garden.' Wang Min Academy | The academy built by Wang Min, the Minister of Works, in his hometown. Laojun Temple | The mural of Laozi's 81 transformations and an 800-year-old Acacia tree (scientific name Albizia julibrissin). Dashuhua | Originated from the North Official Fortress, the iron water marks on the city tower are clearly visible. It is said to have been initiated by ironworkers, who splashed molten iron onto the city walls to create sparks. In the past, people said, 'Rich people set off fireworks, poor people perform Dashuhua.' Now there are performances on Saturdays and holidays, priced at around 160 yuan. The Central Small Fortress is the earliest of the three fortresses, with a Guanyin Hall under the city tower. The West Ancient Fortress is the most unique and best-preserved one. It combines an ancient fortress with an ancient opera stage, temples, and residences, with a distinctive north-south urn city structure. The stone road under the fortress gate bears deep ruts left by cargo carts, witnessing the historical trade prosperity here. Outside the fortress gate is the God of Wealth Temple, and inside the urn city are the Guanyin Pavilion, ancient opera stage, Maitreya Temple, and Ksitigarbha Temple architectural complex. Climbing the fortress wall, you can find defensive works. Overlooking the residential alleys, the heights and patterns are varied and orderly. Besides the main street, the branching alleys are also worth exploring, and you may discover a mysterious Taoist temple in a beautiful ancient residence... The small commercial street near the Wang Min Academy in the North Official Fortress is full of life, where locals cool off, buy vegetables, and eat breakfast. There are many local specialty foods, all reasonably priced and fair for all ages. Snacks | There are flat apricot meat zongzi, pea flour cold noodles, sugar ma leaves that look like fried dough sticks but taste like sugar oil cakes, sour and spicy buckwheat hozhao, pancakes made with mixed grains and chives, and soft and not greasy yellow rice fried cakes... Main meals | You can try the 'Eight Great Bowls' and mule meat, which has a familiar taste for first-timers... There are many homestays to choose from in the ancient town, with varying quality and prices. > Spend a warm spring in the ancient town